The Pew Research Center’s latest global attitudes survey, conducted between February and May 2026, uncovers a dramatic re‑ordering of international public opinion. Over 42,000 respondents across 35 countries and the West Bank/East Jerusalem were polled, and for the first time in the organization’s 20‑year tracking history, China eclipsed the United States in overall favorability.

Key Statistics

Respondents in 25 nations—including Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—expressed a more positive view of China than of the United States. Conversely, only six countries—Israel, Japan, India, South Korea, the Philippines, and Poland—still rated the US more favorably. In Israel, roughly eight‑in‑ten participants favored the US, while just 19% gave a positive rating to China.

Underlying Drivers

Laura Silver, associate director of Pew’s Global Attitudes Research, attributes the shift to a combination of pandemic fatigue and growing dissatisfaction with recent U.S. foreign‑policy actions. She cites the Trump administration’s Greenland claim, the Venezuelan raid, and the handling of the Israel‑Hamas war as key factors eroding confidence in American leadership.

Regional Highlights

In Canada, favorable views of the United States fell from 57% to 33%, while support for China surged from 14% to 44%. European powers such as France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden, and the Netherlands displayed similar trends, increasingly seeing China as a potential contributor to global peace and stability.

Future Implications

Although the United States still leads on perceptions of respect for personal freedoms, the gap is narrowing. The data suggest a broader geopolitical realignment, where China’s image benefits not only from the fading memory of COVID‑19 but also from comparative assessments against a United States perceived as less collaborative.